Where's my $700,000?

Less than a couple of months ago much of the United States and the world was outraged that a 68 year old volunteer bus monitor was verbally abused and ridiculed by a group of seventh grade students.  While it is certainly a deplorable act committed by these students the aftermath of the event and overwhelming response of the public made me question some things.  For those not familiar with the story the verbal abuse suffered by the bus monitor at the hands of the seventh grade students made national and world news when cell phone recorded video of the incident became public.  The bus monitor was then flocked with an outpouring of condolences, well wishes, and...a LOT OF MONEY from people all over the country and the world.  How much money? According to news reports I read just this morning she has now raked in $703,873 and that figure continues to grow.  More power to the bus monitor, but the questions the event left me to ponder are...

Why was the general public so shocked and disturbed that this occurred?

For those of you not familiar with what occurs daily in our schools here's a newsflash: 

TEACHERS, CUSTODIANS, ADMINISTRATION, CAFETERIA STAFF, COACHES, AND SOME STUDENTS ARE VERBALLY ABUSED AND RIDICULED BY OTHER STUDENTS NEARLY EVERYDAY!!

The days when all students, particularly at the middle school level and beyond, were respectful to adults simply because they're adults has long passed. It may be time for the general public to get a clue. 

As a middle school teacher I have been cussed at and cussed out. I have been made fun of by students, and I have even come darn close to being hit by a student. My situation is not unique by any stretch of the imagination as the vast majority of my co-workers have all experienced similar happenings. It is precisely for these reasons that I am having such a difficult time understanding what the public really thinks happens in schools. Are they (the public) so disillusioned that they believe the event with the bus monitor is an isolated incident? If so, then God help us all, because we are in serious trouble!! 

My take...I think deep down in their hearts the general public knows full well what is occurring in our schools, but they have previously felt helpless to try to change things. Just as teachers have no real power in the classroom due to the far reaches of political correctness and a plethora of frivolous lawsuits brought against school boards across the country everyone has become paralyzed by fear. It is in that very fear that the student's power to say, do, and get away with any and everything at school flourishes. The students fully understand there is nothing we (the teachers) can really do to punish them, so we have essentially created an 'inmates run the institution' situation in public schools across America. I believe the public's outpouring of support for the bus monitor was born partly out of compassion for what happened and partly out of guilt. The public knew that by supporting the bus monitor they could rid themselves of some of the guilt they must surely feel for the plight of powerless teachers across the nation.

Why the outrage for this particular event?  

Obviously it was because this incident was videotaped and played repeatedly across the world. Since this happened I have many times wished that I had videotaped evidences of the many verbal assaults I have been the victim of. I could certainly use hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Can the general public possibly be so naive about what occurs in schools across this country day in and day out? 

Yes. Yes they can!

Lastly, where is my outpouring of public support and financial compensation for the emotional and psychological suffering that I and so many other teachers like me have to deal with each and every day?

I guess that's for me to continue to ponder and the public and government to one day answer.